MEPs approved by a large majority (553 votes in favour, 7 against and 38 abstentions) on Thursday, 14 March, the recast of the Brussels II bis regulation on decisions in matrimonial matters and matters of parental responsibility, and international child abduction (see EUROPE 11584/7).
The European Parliament had already adopted a favourable opinion a year ago (see EUROPE 11942/6), but the EU Council decided to consult it again (see EUROPE 12162A26), given the “substantial changes” it had made to the European Commission's initial proposal by unanimously adopting its position on the key elements of the reform (see EUROPE 12155/7). In January, the Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) gave the green light to the simplified procedure for this second opinion (see EUROPE 12179/11).
MEPs were generally satisfied with the outcome and believe that many of the suggestions made in Tadeusz Zwiefka's (EPP, Poland) first draft report have been incorporated into the EU Council's position.
However, some disappointments were expressed during the debate preceding the vote, in particular the lack of common minimum standards for the hearing of the child, as Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (EPP, Sweden) pointed out.
Several MEPs from the S&D group, including Germany's Evelyne Gebhardt, also reiterated their regret that the draft recast only recognises traditional marriage and does not take into account new forms of legal cohabitation, such as registered partnerships. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)